The founder of the Studio 54 nightclub debuts a boutique hotel chain, ash clouds disrupt some flights in Germany and Norway, one traveller spends a year living in hotels, and more. Here's are the stories that travellers are buzzing about:

Tornadoes sweep US midsectionViolent storms roared from Kansas to Texas on Tuesday, killing several people. Our hearts go out to the victims. Late last night, users of online flight tracking software, such as FlightAware, saw many planes in holding patterns around major airports. This morning, air traffic is expected to return to normal.

European fliers cope with volcanic ashToday, flights to northern Germany, Norway, and some other European destinations may be delayed or cancelled due to an ash cloud from an erupting Icelandic volcano. Yesterday, about 500 flights in Europe were cancelled because of the volcano-related disruption, reports BBC News. This weekend, the UK may once again experience flight hassles, depending on how the wind blows.

Ian Schrager reveals his new hotel ventureToday Ian Schrager, the hotelier who helped to invent the boutique hotel concept in 1984 with Morgans, in New York City, is set to announce more details on his latest hotel chain, Public. The first property will open in early autumn on the site of Chicago's former Ambassador East Hotel.Schrager tells The Wall Street Journal that he is close to securing deals to develop four other properties with the same luxury design. He says he is "sick of slick," and that Public hotels will be in subdued colours, such as black and white, with simply made furnishings, according to HotelChatter.

What it's like to live year-round in hotelsPaul Carr, 30, has spent the last year living in hotels around the world, says The Observer. Not extended-stay apartments, mind you, but well-located hotels in major destinations that are intended for vacationers. His budget: $80 to $160 a night. His secrets: In most cities you don't pay local tax on month-long stays. In the US, that's a savings of up to 15% for stays of more than 30 days, and in the UK that's a savings of 20% for stays of longer than 28 days. Carr also discovered he could book the lowest nightly rate possible if he promised a hotel he would stay for a month. For instance, he paid only $89 a night to stay at The Pod Hotel in midtown Manhattan, whose rates are often higher. This month, Carr published a book on his year-long adventure, "The Upgrade".